Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday reaffirmed his innocence after he was charged with disclosing classified information.
“Legislators can get away with peddling their influence, but the people who uncovered the scandal have been prosecuted. Where is the justice?” Ma said. “I will definitely appear in court to fight for justice. The prosecutors did not take into account the statements I provided on the case.”
Huang had revealed details of a probe into two prominent members of the legislature, which could have erupted into a “world-class scandal,” Ma said.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
The information was relayed to former premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) and former Presidential Office deputy secretary-general Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) because the scandal would impact the relationship between the Executive Yuan and the Legislative Yuan, which would hinder legislation proposed by the former, and because there would have been a Cabinet reshuffle after the scandal was made public, Ma said.
“I involved Jiang and Lo mainly for crisis management. In case [the scandal] broke, we [had to know] how to deal with the ensuing issues,” Ma said. “I am confident in my innocence and expect the court to make the correct decision in the spirit of justice.”
Democratic Progressive Party caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘), one of the lawmakers involved in the probe, commended the prosecutors for showing moral courage.
“This is a long-awaited moment. This is also a constitutional moment, in which Taiwan’s constitutional governance is reborn,” Ker said. “Ma was clearly aware of the constitutional separation of powers, but he used the case for political ends. In any nation, the president would have to step down if he was found colluding with the prosecutor-general on illegal wiretaps and intervening in a [judicial] case.”
Having filed a lawsuit against Ma over the wiretapping case, the result of which is to be announced on March 28, Ker called on Ma to admit to his crimes and take responsibility to preserve his legacy.
Fromer legislative speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), the other lawmaker involved in the probe, said that he had not engaged in any illegal activity and remained calm about Ma’s prosecution.
“When the incident began on Sept. 6, 2013, I dealt with it with the same calm attitude,” Wang said. “I have a clear conscience, so I remain unperturbed.”
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old